Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Ok so I have given up and went to Jiffy Lube for help. They immediately refused, pretexting liability issues...
I went to Valvoline next door, same answer.
Alright, I'll go to my favorite mechanic tomorrow morning and get fill plug and brake nuts loosened so I can get going.

What?!! How completely stupid. With their proper tools they could have gotten it easily.
America is lawsuit-happy. Sheesh
Linda

Yes exactly... it's sad!

Manu wrote:Ok so I have given up and went to Jiffy Lube for help. They immediately refused, pretexting liability issues...
I went to Valvoline next door, same answer.
Alright, I'll go to my favorite mechanic tomorrow morning and get fill plug and brake nuts loosened so I can get going.

I can understand their position. The risk vs reward ratio is way out of line for them. You have a steel plug in an aluminum case that's probably not been touched for 50 years. The chemical reaction of steel to aluminum will start a process that can basically weld them together.
When you apply the torque necessary to break this bond you run the risk of cracking the thin aluminum transmission case. How many thousands of dollars is it going to cost them to replace your transmission? Even if you agree to release them of any liability (and sometimes these don't hold up in court) they still worry about getting bad press, and since these are usually national chains it's just not worth the paltry sum they would of charged you. Your plan of taking it to your local mechanic is sound, as he and you are much more likely to come to an understanding about liability. I would suggest spraying it again with the PB Blaster and tapping with a hammer as you do so just before you drive it to him. Good luck, Mike

I had a fill plug that refused to budge. I got it up on a lift and got a 2 foot pipe (cheater) on my wrench and pulled. . . hard. I heard a huge CRACK and was relieved to see that the plug was loose and I hadn't broken the housing.

Shannon

Run the car up to full temp. The aluminum case should expand more than the steel plug.

theunz wrote: I can understand their position. [...] I would suggest spraying it again with the PB Blaster and tapping with a hammer as you do so just before you drive it to him. Good luck, Mike

You're right, it does make sense when you explain it.

sfdaugherty wrote:I had a fill plug that refused to budge. I got it up on a lift and got a 2 foot pipe (cheater) on my wrench and pulled. . . hard. I heard a huge CRACK and was relieved to see that the plug was loose and I hadn't broken the housing.

Shannon

huge CRACK sounds scary!

Gar's68 wrote:Run the car up to full temp. The aluminum case should expand more than the steel plug.

Smart idea thanks!

I love this place, it's amazing the knowledge you can take away from a single plug problem.
Thank you all.

A transmission case doesn't seem that "thin" to me, so I still feel that on a lift with a long wrench like the guy used at a transmission shop I brought my car to one time, it would turn. But Jiffy Lube as a corporate is going to be more conservative. I wonder if looking at all the zerks made them decline as well.
Linda

They all had a scared look on their faces when I drove in! They had no clue what to tell me. They then regrouped and discussed together before coming back to me saying they were afraid the plug could fall when I'm driving back and would be held responsible...
As Dave Premo told me afterwards, I should have told them "Can you please check my transmission oil lever" without even mentioning that I had "trouble" unscrewing it myself!

I forgot to post my final itinerary to bring back Ruby. Route had to change a bit for schedule reasons and we ended up doing less coast drive than planned. Hoping to show more coastline to the brother next weekend with a little LA-San Diego trip before he leaves!

I've made a similar drive on a road trip with my family, would be amazing in a roadster. Totally jealous!

That looks like a nice trip, Manu!
Definitely some beautiful scenery. You picked a great route.
Re Jiffy Lube: I agree with Dave Premo. The less they know the better sometimes LOL.
Linda

AC77 wrote:I've made a similar drive on a road trip with my family, would be amazing in a roadster. Totally jealous!

Do it! It was amazing. I needed a couple days to recover haha - felt more like a rallye than a roadtrip! - but totally worth it!!

Linda wrote:That looks like a nice trip, Manu!
Definitely some beautiful scenery. You picked a great route.
Re Jiffy Lube: I agree with Dave Premo. The less they know the better sometimes LOL.
Linda

It was beautiful. We went through so many different sceneries, coast line, mountains, almost desert and then forrest again! This trip will remain as one of our greatest memories for sure.

Well, it took 1/2 second for my mechanic to loosen the transmission fill plug for free.
He congratulated me on the buy and told me Ruby was in great shape.

He recommended that I come do the front brakes with him. He wants to show me how to completely clean the calipers etc!
Gear oil level is good but I should still do the oil change right? I won't hurt I guess.

You unknowingly loosened it for him
Unless you have recent service records, I would recommend new fluids.

True, I did half the work for him haha. Also, car was up to full temp by the time I got to the shop, so that might have helped as well!

Off topic:
I got stung by a bee while driving top down to the shop. Poor thing seemed in real bad shape, just fell from the sky like a rock.
Last and only other time I got stung was while driving a Citroën Deux-Chevaux in the south of France. Open-air motoring is a dangerous activity.